Deputy President of the Senate in the 9th Assembly, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has welcomed the signing of the South South Development Commission bill into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that it will accelerate the growth of the region.
In a statement signed by his Media advisor Mr. Sunday Areh, that was made available to newsmen, he commended President Tinubu for giving assent to the bill as it brings equity and fairness to the South-South against the backdrop of arguments in some quarters that sought to equate the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with the zonal development agencies in other parts of the country.
On March 25, 2025, the President signed the SSDC bill into law alongside that of the South West Development Commission (SWDC).
He said: “In truth, I am not surprised President Tinubu ignored the campaign from some quarters to sign the SSDC bill. Knowing Mr. President as a man that always seeks equity and fairness, his decision reinforces his respect for and commitment to the development of the Niger Delta region.
“The SSDC Law will further accelerate the growth of the South-South and complement the role of the NDDC which mandates areas go beyond the South South states.
“Besides, the NDDC is devoted to only oil producing communities in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country. President Tinubu has, by giving assent to the bill, ensured that non-oil producing areas are not left out of the Renewed Hope road map for the regeneration of the country,” Omo-Agege stated in his reaction to the President’s signing of the SSDC bill into law.
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“The fascinating thing is that with all the zones now having their own development commissions, all of them have been put on an even keel and I am sure the ensuing competitive spirit will engender innovation among the geo-political zones.
“Some people may not know it now, but what President Tinubu has done will in the next few years start bearing fruits as the management of each commission will be striving to outperform the others. I wholeheartedly commend him on this visionary initiative that will surely have knock on effects on the search for a more perfect union of the Nigerian State,” the former Deputy Senate President stated.
According to the statement “In the 9th Senate, Omo-Agege was in the forefront of the passage of the North East Development Commission bill as part of efforts to rebuild the north east which had been devastated by years of Boko Haram insurgency. Thereafter, it was envisioned as a template for driving development in all the regions with Omo-Agege spearheading the move to establish similar agencies in other zones as the deputy Senate president”, the statement stated
Other regional agencies are the North West Development Commission, the South East Development Commission and the North Central Development Commission.